asked the Minister for Social Welfare the figure he used as an average for the 1983 live register in calculating the money required and provided for in the Social Welfare Vote.
241.
Written Answers . - Social Welfare .
240.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people on shorttime and the number of over 65s expected to receive unemployment benefit in 1983.
: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 241 together. The estimates of expenditure on unemployment services as published by the previous Government were based on an estimated average live register figure for 1983 of 177,000. In addition provision was made for an average of 8,500 short-time workers and 1,500 over 65s giving a total of 187,000 unemployed persons.
As announced by the Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement the Government have decided to make an additional allocation of £31 million for unemployment payments in 1983. This was based on an average live register figure of 193,000 for 1983. No change was made in the estimated numbers of short-time workers and over 65s.
250.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons in receipt of a deserted wife's allowance on 1 January 1983, 1982 and 1981.
: The numbers of persons in receipt of social assistance allowance for deserted wives on the dates mentioned are as follows:— 1 January 1983, 3,282; 1 January 1982, 3,066; 1 January 1981, 2,920.
In addition to the foregoing, under the scheme of social insurance the following numbers of persons also received deserted wife's benefit:— 1 January 1983, 3,416; 1 January 1982, 3,125; 1 January 1981, 2,873.
251.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in relation to the deserted wife's allowance the period of time which must elapse between desertion and the acceptance by his Department of a claim for the allowance; and the average time that elapses between applications for the allowance and the first payment being made.
: The period of time which must elapse between the date of desertion and the acceptance of a claim for a deserted wife's allowance is three months.
The time taken to process an allowance claim to the payment stage varies considerably depending on the circumstances of each individual case. The wife must first be interviewed and is required to show that she has made reasonable efforts to locate her husband and prevail on him to support her. This can take some time. In addition, where the husband's whereabouts are known it is then necessary for an officer to call on him in order to obtain his version of the events leading up to desertion and this can prolong the matter further.
It is very difficult therefore to put an average on the length of time it takes to decide a claim but a random sampling of decisions given over the past few weeks shows that the period can be upwards of two months.
Most claimants, however, receive supplementary welfare allowance through the local community welfare officer of the health board from the time they are deserted and this is continued whilst they are awaiting a decision on their claim to a deserted wife's payment.
253.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons in continuous receipt of supplementary welfare for more than 12 months on the latest date for which figures are available.
: Statistics are not kept by my Department in a form which would enable the information requested by the Deputy to be supplied. I am having inquiries made from the health boards as to whether such information is available and I will be in touch with the Deputy later.
254.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will arrange to pay an old age pension at the full rate to a person (details supplied) in County Cork.
: The person concerned was in receipt of an old age pension at the rate of £24.45 plus £12.30 adult dependant allowance based on a means assessment of £13.82 weekly. A recent reinvestigation revealed that the assessment of his means, consisting of half the weekly value of a holding and capital, had increased to £26.11 weekly since pension was awarded in 1978 and warranted payment at the rate of £12.45 plus £6.30 adult dependant allowance. This rate has been put into payment pending the referral of a question for reduction of pension to the local pension committee. Pension at the maximum rate is payable only where the means assessed do not exceed £6 a week.
258.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare when a non-contributory widow's pension will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry.
: Following an appeals officer's decision the person concerned has been awarded a widow's non-contributory pension with effect from Friday 2 April 1982, at a reduced rate appropriate to a widow under 66 years of age with no qualified children, on the basis of her means derived from an intestacy interest in a holding of land.
A pension order book, with orders payable from 7 January 1983, has been issued to the designated post office for collection by her and she has been notified accordingly.
The arrears of pension due for the period from 2 April 1982 to 6 January 1983 will be issued to her shortly by means of a payable order.